Helena came down the grand staircase dressed in a long flowing silk black dress with a deep V-plunging neckline that ended at the bottom of her sternum. She had a simple necklace from her mother a locket that had Selena's picture; the only thing she kept from Selena before her untimely death. Helena reminisced over her ins and outs of her dance with vigilantism. Helena was trained to protect herself but she felt she failed to protect her mother from being violated and murdered by the world's cruelest clown right in front of her. Batman saved Huntress in the nick of time, but was too late for her mother.
Helena had under gone much trauma in her life but always came out a little stronger and darker each time. She considered herself a dark avenger in the world, but now she seemed almost powerless as a metahuman, now knowing that the Earth was no longer the source of life…
She thought to herself of what her mother would do in her shoes if she were still alive, but it was useless. Helena pushed back her raven hair over her shoulders. At the bottom of the stairs her father and Alfred waited in their tuxes for the gala's evening to gain information on Superman from Lex Luthor's new building. Bruce looked at his daughter stating, "You look lovely but shouldn't you cover up right there?" he looked towards the top, gesturing with his hands. Alfred laughed, cutting off Helena, "Master Bruce, I think she is in fashion even if she is your daughter." Bruce nodded with his smirk, "I know but still."
She looked at Bruce with a raised eyebrow, "I understand if my attractiveness makes you uncomfortable because I'm your daughter but as I recall, you gave up your fatherly duties long ago." Her words stung him but he replied, "Fair enough. In that case if Alfred is all right with it, I'll be too."
Long ago before Helena was born, Bruce had many students that were like children to him, including his own son, Damian. Unfortunately, Dick Grayson grew up and went his own way as the vigilante known as Nightwing. Every now and then he'd receive help from the first caped crusader, but he wouldn't stick around long. Bruce knew every man had to go his own way, and happily let him do so; he did so with most of his students proudly. The unfortunate part is that most of them died in their line of work or disappeared completely. At least, Bruce knew where they were it's just they wanted to live their own lives hidden from all others, and he obliged. Barbra and Dick were the only ones who remained somewhat close, even through the years they'd met Helena and had a few holidays spent together, but never any cases. Barbra Gordon left her life of vigilantism after being shot by the Joker and instead took up the badge by doing cybersecurity and forensics for GPD. She was probably the closest out of all the students to Huntress. She was like the older sister she never had. The most curious student Helena met was her other half-brother, Terry McGinnis. He took up the Batman's mantle for a time, before leaving the life for his now wife. Helena was never particularly close as she wanted to be, out of fear of destroying his life with her mere presence. Bruce, Selena, and Helena always attracted the attention of the criminals they fought.
Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, and Tim Drake were lost in the line of fire, before Helena was even alive. It had shaped Bruce to be reluctant in accepting any more protégés, but the final straw was the loss of his son and wife. He despises the idea of Helena's in and outings with the double life out of fear of what might occur. Realistically, she'd most likely outgrow him in age due to her rare mutation. It didn't stop Bruce or Selena from trying to protect Helena when she was an infant.
They'd actually gave up Helena to Selena's reformed sister, Irena Bertinelli. Selena ran away from her father Carmine Falcone in Italy to Gotham in hopes to start anew, but fell into some prostitution and thievery before donning her costumed identity. Irena married into the Bertinelli Crime family with her husband Thomas, but tried -like Selena- to leave. Since Irena and Thomas broke away, relatively safe, from the Falcone-Bertinelli crime family in another part of Italy; Selena and Bruce gave up their daughter to them. Helena grew up in danger either way, but Selena argued with Bruce that a simple gangster was better than a supervillanous clown. Bruce argued with Selena that she'd be in their protection than that of Irena and Thomas' even given the risks. They argued over it for many months before finally letting baby Helena go under the premise that she'd lead a normal life. Bruce and Selena would keep a distant eye on her without her knowledge; until one fateful night when Helena was ten years old. The crime family found the obscure family, shot Helena's adoptive parents (her aunt and uncle) in front of her and burned her house down with her in it.
Bruce was fortunate enough to stay near their home to be close without really contacting their daughter for the past ten years, and it paid off on that night. Bruce saved Helena from the burning home, but not able to recover the deceased Bertinellis. From there Bruce, Helena, Selena, and Alfred returned to Gotham to raise their family in a more protective, discreet, and safe means than the obscure Italian home that failed them. Helena grew accustomed to her real "new" family, finally learning the truth and tried to stay away from dual lifestyles but did it anyway for self-defense. When Helena was eighteen, Selena was murdered, and for a time Helena walked away from life altogether. When Jason came along Helena felt with him she could do anything, just as he could with her…but alas it wasn't meant to be. Now at 23, Helena embraced the sole identity of the dark avenger people came to know as Huntress.
Only Alfred and Bruce actually called her by her name and most others in her life referred to her as Ms. Wayne but all others including her knew her as only the Huntress.
Here she was standing beside her father and Alfred, heading to the gala, seeking out information that if they needed to, they'd kill for. Helena died long ago with her innocence when her first set of parents died, but after Damian and Jason's death, and the distance between her and her now estranged Terry; she is, was, and always will be a killer of killers to protect good people from the other horrors. She knew that when she was done with her crusade, she'd face the justice that awaits her, but for now dark justice is all she is able to give in the ongoing battle. Bruce and Alfred in her mind were just tagging along for the ride in the dichotomous world they lived in.
Superman was the new target that they both sought. Even though Helena could actually forgive Superman for the death of her beloved, she could not forgive him of his potential on their world-and her father agreed.
In times of peace all were held accountable for their pasts regardless of intent, but until the war comes that seeks allies born from good intent, Huntress would strike down Superman where he stood. One part of her wanted Superman to prove her wrong by being a protector of good people on earth so that all metahumans could keep this world safe from any dire threat, but it was only a small part of her mind, calculating any and every possible scenario from the moment Zod appeared in the sky until now. Unless that was the case though, she continued her current mission, uncertain which way the future may go.
Alfred stayed behind in the Batcave for their reconnaissance, but Bruce and Helena left the new Wayne Manor to the gala.
As they both stepped out of the car, photographers, cameramen, and journalists swarmed around them as their car was taken by the valet. One man stood tall out of the crowd with thick framed glasses that held a guarded posture. Helena took brief notice of him, but disregarded her gut. The flashing lights of the crowd invaded the Wayne's' personal bubbles as they entered in inside the building.
"Ms. Wayne! Ms. Wayne! Ms. Wayne!" One journalist called. Helena turned to look at the reporter closest to her, the rest swarmed around like fleas to wolves.
"What are your thoughts on tonight's gala for Lex donating money to the public libraries?"
"Well I do support charities for the education of young children. I was fortunate enough to inherit family money to go to school, but like Luthor I seek to help others at any cost." Helena replied.
Another reporter cut in, "Our sources verify what you said, but do you also attribute your charity from your loss two years ago? Our source indicates that you give generously but your majority profits from your family's company were given in the reformation after the alien attack, which was a staggering increase by 80% more than before. Is it because you lost your fiancé, Jason Todd?"
The question caught her off guard. It was true she gave away money to charities by the boatload and even more so after the First Contact attacks-as people coined them-to help rebuild and console folks in some way, shape, or form. It probably was due to Jason's death. But by God, Helena didn't like it when reporters asked about Jason.
She stood there thinking of Jason silently, as cameras flashed, tapes rolled, and reporters with recorders waited for her response. "I lost the love of my life and I know plenty of others did too. I help where and when I cannot out of love for the limelight or political gain. I know that I'd rather focus on the survivors than reminisce over my loss. I think of Jason and what he'd want me to do, so I carry on as we all kind of do." The journalists seemed enthralled by her answer but fished further, "By carry on have you found a new man in your life?"
Helena thought for a moment in a witty fashion, "You could say that. I've known of this man for two years and I'm on the hunt for him. He's not expecting me yet though." She referred to her vengeance, but the confused and chuckling crowd tried asking her for more, but she turned to head inside.
Inside everyone gathered around for Lex's speech but Helena hovered near her father. "Do you know where it is? Or do I need to hunt?"
"Alfred will let us know, for now enjoy the evening Helena." Bruce said quietly in the crowd that fell silent.
They stood there and Helena observed the crowd that looked intently at Lex's ravings and ramblings. A woman elegantly dressed in front of Bruce turned around at looked at him; he smiled his classic half upturned smile at her. Helena squeezed her father's bicep with her claws; he looked at her and rolled her eyes. Helena looked at the woman who now directed her gaze towards back at Helena. It was like a fierce stare off contest, where Helena tried her best to scare off the woman. Surprisingly she didn't flinch when Helena pulled out a key move. Helena changed her eyes to slits like how cats do when angry.
Part of the reason Selena took on the moniker of a cat is because her metahuman abilities allowed her to hear and smell better than average, see in the dark with human or "catty" eyes, and the inability to die easy. Her parents speculated that it was an evolutionary leap forward from humans to metahumans, but Helena knew from research that other metahumans had superior or different abilities. Here, she just used her eyes to warn the woman to not approach her father, not see in the dark. Though dusk fell as seen through the windows, the woman just turned away indifferent. It surprised Helena, but it was very well known to the media that Helena despises anyone who tries to replace her mother. Although Helena was not particularly fond of Bruce or Selena, they were still hers.
Bruce's ear piece echoed in his ears, "If you go down stairs to the left and keep going past the kitchen, the cables you'll need to get the data from is behind the mainframe casing. I'll disable LexCorp firewalls to give you a ten minute window before they're notified of the robbery. I'd go now while everyone is distracted."
Helena's earrings relayed the same info, but to a lower decibel so as to not hurt her sensitive ears. Helena turned to leave with her father, but her motioned for her to stay. Helena blended into the crowd easier than he did since she was younger, and did so.
Bruce left with a quick pace, but Helena noticed that the woman from earlier turned to look at her father leaving. Helena growled quietly, but the woman paid no notice and left through the inattentive crowd. The man with thick-framed glasses from the paparazzi looked at her intently, but Helena looked back at him curiously. Moving forward through the crowd, she was far enough from him to not pose a threat, but close enough to smell him from the distance. He smelled unique, as most do, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It must've been the cologne and something he ate several hours ago, she thought. It didn't seem to match though. When he turned around Helena hovered back towards the end of the crowd, still listening to Luthor's ridiculousness.
Luthor must have issues, Helena thought to herself. Whispering, Helena said, "Who else would want to hack into LexCorp Alfred?"
"Superman fanatics or the government men, why? "Alfred half-joked. "I don't think we are alone." Helena whispered. The man with the thick-framed glasses turned around towards her. In an instant she knew who he was, because no one could hear Alfred even if they heard her. So, Helena flashed her brown cat eyes dangerously towards him. He knew that Helena was not just a random socialite in the room now.
Bruce came back next to Helena quietly. Though others paid no notice to Bruce's return, it was always noticeable to Helena for obvious reasons. Lex concluded his speech and people moved about freely around them. Bruce turned to Helena, "Did I miss anything?"
"Not yet." Helena said, eyes locked on the man with the glasses. He followed her gaze, but almost disregarded it thinking she was looking at a potential boyfriend. They turned to leave, but the man with glasses came forward, "Mr. Wayne," he softly said. Bruce almost shrugged him off until he asked his opinion about the Batman and Superman. In that instant, Bruce realized that both his daughter and he were standing in the company of the Superman. Superman also realized that he was in the company of both the Batman and Huntress.
…"When you live in Gotham long enough, you get tired of psychotic clowns." Bruce responded.
Mr. Clark Kent, as he called himself, turned to Helena, "I'm sorry, I neglected to ask your name ma'am." He held out his hand and put on a kind smile with the eyes to match. Unblinking, Helena showed her cat eyes of warning, "I'm Helena Wayne, I'm his daughter." She motioned to Bruce Wayne, and gently shook Clark's hand, squeezing slightly.
"I see, you look lovely this evening. Nice dress. Is it cat couture?" He smiled quickly. Helena joked, "Thanks. You should see my favorite attire. It's specialized armor for hunting. But I'm sure this isn't your typical setting either, I bet you love to just fly by for a good story huh?" Before he could inquire further, Lex dropped in stating that he loved seeing people together.
The situation became quite awkward, until Bruce motioned for leaving. Helena turned to leave until Lex got ahold of her arm, "Whoa there, the night is young m'lady. I want to ask you a certain favor if I may." Helena looked about, Bruce and Clark and the bold woman were already gone, so it was only Helena and Lex.
"Mr. Luthor I'm sure we can schedule an appointment later but-" She was cut off when Lex leaned in to her ear and said, "Why the formality Huntress?"
She looked at him saying in a defensive tone, "Let's go somewhere quiet to talk."
"Of course, of course pretty lady." Lex put his scrawny arm around Helena's waist, guiding her to the upper levels. Helena wasn't scared of him but highly uncomfortable with people knowing her true self. It meant they sought to destroy rather than befriend.
Lex closed the doors to the study-like room. "Scotch?" He held up a glass shaking the ice. Helena shook her head, "What do you want Lex?"
He smiled slyly at her, leaning on a desk, sipping his scotch. "You know you're really pretty you should do modeling." He chirped. Setting his drink down he continued, "But I know what you're thinking, 'how do you know who I am' and the answer is simple. Blood."
Helena looked confused, but not completely baffled. She bled anytime she fought on the streets of Gotham, but even so it couldn't be connected to her. Most databases around the globe have been wiped by her hacking with Barbra's help. So how could Lex identify her with her own blood? Even her own father's blood was removed from records.
"You know I would not want to be on your bad side, or your father's. See I'm just a humble little man while you and your father are masked robin hoods like Zorro." Lex made swashbuckling whooshes with his hands and lips. Helena stood there as Lex encircled her saying, "So as I was saying. Blood. It does wonders what it can do. So take you for instance," He paced away from Helena grabbing another drink, "You fight and get a bloody nose or whatever, one of my guys tracks you down to wherever you were and plucks it from the street," Lex gestured with his hands that snatches air, "and I run it through LexCorp database, but oh yes you and daddy dearest erased all of those digital records hmm…"
Helena looked suspiciously at him, "But my pretty, paper is harder to find. So, methinks to myself, 'criminality must run into the family given the similar get-ups,'" He gestured to Helena's clothes. "It took a long time to find Selena Kyle's body, but fortunately she unlike you and daddy dearest left all kinds of records behind both paper and digital. Jackpot!" He clapped his hands in front of Helena's face trying to make her flinch. She didn't blink, but he humphed in disappointment. "So I ran a compatibility test with Huntress and Selena Kyle's blood, and bingo! It's a baby girl!" He gestured to Helena indicating the rest. Helena's birth certificate had Bruce, Selena, and Helena's names on it which was pretty easy to figure out.
"So for my favor pretty girl," Lex leaned forward toward her patronizingly with his hands in his lap as if calling an animal or child, "I want you to do something for me about our red caped friend."
Helena finally spoke, "What about Superman?"
Lex happily cheered, "Aha I'm glad you asked. See I know a lot of people's dirty secrets like you and your daddy do; so it isn't hard to figure out that you probably hold Superman responsible for the poor unfortunate Jason Todd's death. I know you and your daddy know who everyone is like I do, just like how right now you're already figuring me out Sherlock. Here's the thing though, even as unique as you are," Lex used his eyes to look up and down Helena's sleek black dress over her curvy body, "you're human like 'lil ole me. You and I are equally smart and we lead dual dangerous lives,"
"Arguably so." Helena interjected.
He smiled, "I want you to bring me Superman." Helena looked at him suspiciously, smelling his very air. Something didn't add up, his very heartbeat pattered inconsistently and his smell betrayed adrenaline and fear.
"In what condition?" Helena inquired.
"Oh I really like you. All business no fun! I want him back dead of course. Let me put it to you like this," He gestured to her locket with her mother's picture inside, "That has a cross on the outside doesn't it?"
Helena stated, "Yes but what does that have to do with Superman?"
"Everything!" Lex shouted angrily, "Everything." He softened his tone, "Do you still believe in your God, Helena? Mind if I call you Helena?" He picked up a pen and started fidgeting with it. Helena had an idea that he was going to compare Superman to God and so responded honestly, "Yes." She knew she was talking to a man with serious delusions and grandiose caricatures of himself and the world around him. She immediately would diagnose him as a borderline schizoid but generally insane. Her initial gut was telling her not to trust him, whatever he was going to propose.
"Ah. Well, you see with Superman being here it means that we aren't alone," He giggled while sitting himself on top of the desk while waving little fingers towards the sky, "Well if he is the symbol of hope and all that is good to the world, there has to be a yang to his yin. He brought with him General Zod last time, what opposite do you think he'll attract? Who?"
"I'm guessing you want me to eliminate him for future precautions?" Helena inquired.
"Bingo!" He shot his fingers at her like a pistol. "You see if he is dead, you can keep your God and avenge poor Jason, and ultimately save the world before it needs saving. Everyone wins."
"How do you win Lex?" Helena asked. "Well I know you'll figure that out but I've said too much already. If you agree I'll even give you access to all my toys, even some that daddy dearest won't let even you have. Do you accept?"
Helena stood there for a moment in silence trying to figure out how he can gain power or control or something from the death of Superman. Though he sold a good deal, in the long run it seemed evil, and she didn't trust him. As much as she disliked Superman, Lex seemed to know of a threat far worse. That was her new target.
Helena then said, "I'd do anything for Jason. I accept your offer Lex." He smiled happily buying it. In reality, Helena lied. Instead of hunting or leaving Superman be, Helena now knew she had to protect him from Luthor, her father, and even herself. With that, she left with a new mission in mind.